Handicap for smaller board sizes

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Table of contents Table of diagrams
Two handicap stones
Three handicap stones
Four handicap stones
Handicaps are placed in similar order as on 19x19 board

Handicaps and komi for smaller boards

First possibility

Regarding handicap games, the following table gives one possible way of allocating handicap and komi on 13x13 boards. First column: Strength difference on 19x19 goban, second column, handicap on 13x13 goban, third column, komi to white.

 Difference  13x13   Komi   Difference   13x13   Komi
    0         0      5.5       10        4       5.5
    1(*)      0      5.5       11        4       2.5
    2         0      2.5       12        4       0.5
    3         0      0.5       13        5       5.5
    4         2      5.5       14        5       2.5
    5         2      2.5       15        5       0.5
    6         2      0.5       16        6       5.5
    7         3      5.5       17        6       2.5
    8         3      2.5       18        6       0.5
    9         3      0.5       19        6      -3.5

(*) In the case of a one stone difference in strength, the weaker player takes black and plays first.

Second possibility (Tim Hunt)

On RGG, Tim Hunt posted his recommendations

 Grade          13x13 board          9x9 board
 Difference     Handicap   Komi     Handicap   Komi
    0              1        6          1        6
    1              1        2          1        4
    2              1       -2          1        2
    3              2        4          1        0
    4              2        0          1       -2
    5              2       -4          1       -4
    6              3        2          2        4
    7              3       -2          2        2
    8              4        4          2        0
    9              4        0          2       -2
   10              4       -4          2       -4

Cambridge club

The Cambridge club (see [ext] http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cugos/ for more details) uses a different system for its end-of-term 13x13 handicap competitions. These are played with fast time limits of 10 minutes each. In that case

 2.5 grades = 1 handicap stone
% broken link: "...seems to be correct; details at http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cugos/compete/sono.htm [Charles Matthews]"

Placement of handicap stones on smaller boards

9x9

[Diagram]

Two handicap stones

[Diagram]

Three handicap stones

[Diagram]

Four handicap stones


13x13

[Diagram]

Handicaps are placed in similar order as on 19x19 board


I've thinking about komi settings for smaller boards. The logic behind modifying the number of handicap stones given seems to be that one stone is worth more on a smaller board. By the same reasoning, shouldn't komi be higher for smaller boards, because the one initial black stone will also be worth more?

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This is a copy of the living page "Handicap for smaller board sizes" at Sensei's Library.
(OC) 2004 the Authors, published under the OpenContent License V1.0.
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